Brainstorm | Opinion, Analysis, Reports, Features

People celebrate along a street in Khan Yunis in southern Gaza on January 15, 2025 (Getty Images)

Gaza ceasefire: what it means for peace in the Middle East

After 15 months of bitter conflict a ceasefire deal has been agreed, but there are still twists and uncertainties

Brainstorm • 16 Jan

US president-elect Donald Trump speaks at a press conference at the Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida. Photo: Getty Images

What we learned from Trump's latest press conference

The incoming US president wants to rename the Gulf of Mexico, gain control of the Panama Canal and take over Greenland

US • 08 Jan

Abu Mohammed al-Jolani with supporters at the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus on Sunday last. Photo: Aref Tammawi/AFP via Getty Images

Who is Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, the face of post-Assad Syria?

The Hayat Tahrir al-Sham leader spearheaded the advance that toppled Assad, but who is he and why does he have $10 million bounty on his head?

Middle East • 10 Dec 24

An Israeli soldier takes up a position in front of a battery of an Iron Dome air defence system near Jerusalem. Photo: Menahem Kahana/AFP

How much money is Israel spending on Middle East conflicts?

Israel's ongoing war in Gaza and involvement in new conflicts in the Middle East is coming at a major financial cost

Middle East • 08 Oct 24

The supermoon rising over Abbottstown on August 29, 2023 Photo: RTÉ

All you need to know about this week's supermoon

We've known about this optical illusion for thousands of years, but we still don't completely understand how or why it comes about

Astronomy • 19 Aug 24

A view of Maidan Independence Square in Kyiv in January 2014 during ongoing protests against Viktor Yanukovych, and his government Photo: Vasily Maximov/AFP via Getty Images

How the Maidan protests ten years ago changed Ukraine

The events of a decade ago continue to influence the development of Ukraine and are deeply entwined with Russian military aggression

Ukraine • 21 Nov 23

Portraits of Wagner Group founders Yevgeny Prigozhin (R) and Dmitry Utkin (L) seen among candles at an informal memorial for PMC Wagner Group at Varvarka street near the Kremlin on August 24, 2023 in Moscow, Russia. Photo: Getty Images

What Prigozhin's death means for stability in Africa

The death of the Wagner Group's leader raises questions about the group's African operations

Russia • 01 Sep 23

Ukrainian servicemen take part in military exercises outside Kyiv. Photo: Sergey Shestak/AFP via Getty Images

What is going on with the Ukrainian counteroffensive?

After two months of slow progress, the long-awaited counteroffensive appears to be gaining momentum

Military • 01 Aug 23

On the road to Moscow? Wagner goup boss Yevgeny Prigozhin. Photo: UPI/Alamy Live News

How Putin's attempt to control Russia's private armies backfired

Kremlin's efforts to control private militaries like Yevgeny Prigozhin's Wagner group failed to address rivalry between factions

Russia • 24 Jun 23

New York City is in the midst of an "unprecedented event" as smoke from raging wildfires in Canada envelopes the US's largest city. Photo: Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

How wildfire smoke harms human health even when fire is far away

A toxicologist explains the health risks people can face when smoke blows in from distant wildfires

Health • 08 Jun 23

A flooded area near the Antonovskiy bridge on the outskirts of Kherson following the explosion at the Nova Kakhovka dam. Photo: Getty Images

Who gains from the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam?

This episode suggests Russia is less interested in liberating Ukraine than in destroying its ability to function as a sovereign nation

Ukraine • 07 Jun 23

Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan acknowledges supporters at the presidential palace after winning reelection. Photo: Getty Images

How Erdogan held onto power in Turkey

As Tayyip Erdogan begins another term as president of Turkey, what's likely to happen now in the country?

Turkey • 01 Jun 23

Image taken from a video shows a damaged building in the Belgorod region, Russia yesterday. Photo: AP

Has the Ukraine war spread to Russia?

Here's what we know so far about reports of battles being fought across the border in Russia

Military • 24 May 23

The Nord Stream pipeline from the Baltic Sea to Germany is regularly being closed this year as Russia restricts gas supply. Phioto: Tobias Schwarz/ Reuters/Alamy

How Russia is using gas to win support for Ukraine war

Russia's domination of gas supply to the EU is its biggest economic weapon and is being used to try to reduce support for Ukraine

Energy • 01 Sep 22

'Estimating the overall hit to the western insurance industry from the deterioration in relations with Russia is not easy.'

How Russia's war on Ukraine is pushing up the cost of insurance

The war is increasing insurance premiums everywhere as insurers seek to make up for their losses from sanctions

Insurance • 04 Jul 22

Russian President Vladimir Putin at Victory Day celebrations in Moscow yesterday. Photo: Getty Images

Victory Day can't mask how badly things are going for Putin

May 9th this year was more like "no victory day" as Russia has little to show after 74 days of war against Ukraine

Ukraine • 10 May 22

The UN Security Council at work. Photo: Andrea Renault/AFP/Getty Images

How did Russia get USSR's permanent seat on UN Security Council?

The Ukranian conflict has seen some ask if Russia is legitimately entitled to the Soviet Union's seat on the Council

History • 07 Mar 22

Ukrainian soldierss collect unexploded shells after fighting with Russian raiding group in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. Photo: Sergei Supinsky/AFP/ Getty Images

How Ukraine's military can inflict much pain on Russian forces

The Ukranians may be outgunned, but they can exploit Russia's unwillingness to wage a lengthy military campaign

Military • 28 Feb 22

"We can't yet be sure that any vaccine will permanently prevent people from catching Covid-19 and enable the disease to be gradually eradicated or at least contained to limited outbreaks"

What happens if we can't produce a viable Covid-19 vaccine?

Without a vaccine, the virus could become permanently present in the population like the coronaviruses that cause colds

Coronavirus • 18 Aug 20

Much of the reported data relates to the increase in the number of confirmed cases and the number of deaths, but most infected people are cured

10 reasons not to panic about the coronavirus

There are causes for optimism and reasons to think there may be ways to contain and defeat this virus

Coronavirus • 11 Mar 20

'The spread of fake news and conspiracy theories around the coronavirus is such a significant problem that the World Health Organisation has created a "myth busters" webpage to try to tackle them'

Why the coronavirus has led to so many conspiracy theories

The outbreak has become a breeding ground for conspiracy theories and that's a serious problem for all of us

Coronavirus • 04 Mar 20

The folklore, food and rituals of the Chinese New Year

One of the most important holidays in China, the New Year festival involves many traditional celebrations and activities

Brainstorm • 22 Jan 20

Goodbye to all that: 7,000 US troops are set to leave Afghanistan

How will the withdrawal of US troops affect Afghanistan?

Whether US and other foreign troops stay or go, the prospects of peace in Afghanistan remain as distant as ever before

Afghanistan • 23 Dec 18

Recently Carphone Warehouse announced it was to close its Irish business with 486 jobs to go.

Why are so many shops going out of business?

Traditional stores are struggling to deal with the challenges presented by online outlets and changes in how we shop today

Retail • 21 Apr 21

The Somalialand flag flies high even if the country is not recognised by a single country in the world. Photo: iStock

Don't look for it on a map

Opinion: Somaliland, Northern Cyprus, Transnistria and Abkhazia are examples of unrecognised states who struggle to join the worldwide community of sovereign countries for a variety of reasons

Unrecognised states • 05 Dec 17

World